By Vahid Alaghehband
The past continuous (was/were + verb-ing) describes an action in progress at a moment in the past: At 8 p.m. I was cooking. It is mostly used to set the scene of a story and together with the past simple when something interrupts that action: I was cooking when you called.
This guide is part of English grammar by level. The past continuous is A2 grammar on the CEFR (A2.2 in the Vozi Grammar catalog). It is the tense that gives the background of a story, while the past simple tells the main events.
How to form the past continuous
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + was/were + verb-ing | She was studying at nine. They were playing soccer. |
| Negative | Subject + wasn't/weren't + verb-ing | I wasn't sleeping. |
| Question | Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? | Were you working yesterday afternoon? |
| Short answer | Yes, + subject + was/were. No, + subject + wasn't/weren't. | Yes, I was. No, they weren't. |
I, he, she and it take was; you, we and they take were. Stative verbs (know, like, want, believe) are rarely used in the continuous: I knew the answer, not I was knowing.
When to use the past continuous
An action in progress at a past moment
It describes what was happening at a certain time or during a period.
- At 7 a.m. I was waiting for the bus.
- What were you doing at midnight?
- This time last year we were living in Ambato.
An action interrupted by another
The longer action goes in the past continuous and the short action that interrupts it goes in the past simple, usually with when.
- I was taking a shower when the lights went out.
- She was crossing the street when she saw her teacher.
- We were having dinner when my phone rang.
Actions at the same time and the scene of a story
Use while to join two long actions; it also paints the background of a story.
- While I was cooking, my son was doing his homework.
- It was raining and people were running to find a taxi.
Time expressions and key words
These words and phrases often appear with the past continuous:
- while
- when
- at that moment
- at 5 p.m. yesterday
- all morning
- this time last week
- as
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ I was study when you called. | ✔ I was studying when you called. | The -ing form is missing. |
| ✗ They was watching TV. | ✔ They were watching TV. | You, we and they take were. |
| ✗ I was knowing him. | ✔ I knew him. | Know is a stative verb and is not usually used in the continuous. |
| ✗ While I cooked, the phone was ringing. | ✔ While I was cooking, the phone rang. | The long action goes in the continuous; the short one that interrupts it goes in the past simple. |
| ✗ When I was a child, I was playing soccer every Saturday. | ✔ When I was a child, I played (or used to play) soccer every Saturday. | Past habits go in the past simple or with used to, not in the past continuous. |
Past continuous vs past simple
| Past continuous | Past simple | |
|---|---|---|
| What it shows | An action in progress, in the background | A complete action, a fact |
| Length | Long or unfinished at that moment | Short or finished |
| In a story | The scene: It was raining… | The events: …and then I saw her. |
| Example | I was reading when he arrived. | I read the whole book yesterday. |
When usually introduces the short action (past simple) and while the long one (past continuous).
Short conversation
Two friends talk about a phone call that went unanswered.
A: Where were you last night? I called you twice.
B: Sorry! I was helping my sister with her math homework.
A: At ten o'clock?
B: Yes. And while we were working, the internet stopped.
A: Oh no. What were you doing when it came back?
B: We were still sitting at the table, trying to solve problem number five.
A: Did you finish?
B: Finally, yes. We finished at eleven.
10 exercises with answers
Complete with the past continuous or the past simple. In the last one, fix the mistake.
- At 6 p.m. yesterday, I ___ (walk) home.
- They ___ (not / listen) when the teacher came in.
- ___ you ___ (sleep) when I called?
- She ___ (drive) to work when she ___ (see) the accident.
- While we ___ (eat), it ___ (start) to rain.
- What ___ he ___ (do) at midnight?
- I ___ (break) my glasses while I ___ (play) basketball.
- At 4 p.m. the kids ___ (watch) a movie.
- When the bus ___ (arrive), we ___ (talk) about the exam.
- Fix the mistake: I was knowing the answer.
Show answers
- was walking
- weren't listening
- Were … sleeping
- was driving … saw
- were eating … started
- was … doing
- broke … was playing
- were watching
- arrived … were talking
- I knew the answer.
Next step: if you don't know your level, take the English level test (about 15 minutes, with instant results). To keep working on this topic, see Vozi Grammar's English grammar exercises by level.
Frequently asked questions
When do you use the past continuous?
For an action in progress at a past moment (At 8 p.m. I was cooking), for an action interrupted by another (I was cooking when you called) and to describe the scene of a story.
What is the difference between the past simple and the past continuous?
The past simple presents a complete action (I cooked dinner). The past continuous presents it in progress, often as the background of another action (I was cooking dinner when she arrived).
When do I use when and when do I use while?
While usually goes with the long action in the past continuous (while I was driving) and when with the short action in the past simple (when the phone rang), although when can also introduce the long action.
Can I use the past continuous for past habits?
Usually not: for habits, use the past simple or used to (I played soccer every Saturday, or I used to play soccer every Saturday). It is used with always for complaints: He was always complaining.